Green Daily

By the same token, Reusing is just another word for "I'm going to bust a gut if I don't shop for something, so maybe I'll hit the thrift store" and "I'll just fix up the bike that's already in the basement, thanks!"

So that gets us to the fourth R, "Respond" -- just how does one go about practicing it?

It would probably help to start by explaining what I mean. Back in July, I was reading a Smart 2 Be Green newsletter which describes Responding this way:

• Educate others on the "Three R's."
• Make your preferences known to merchants, manufacturers, and community leaders.
• Create your own new ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

As far as that first bullet goes, I know I'll talk to anyone about this stuff -- heck I'll tell it to a telephone pole if there aren't any people around. It's much better to call that "educating" instead of "droning on and on endlessly".

But I have to admit I'm a little more shy when it comes to pulling aside the store manager or demanding that a waiter tell me where my veal beef was raised. And I can't remember the last time I dropped by Gavin "Mayor McHottie" Newsom's office to discuss the recycling policy -- although as I just mentioned, the city is doing just fine finding the cutting edge on recycling practices without my help.

In fact, these days my eco-practices are pretty vanilla. Sure, I bring my bags to the store, shop at the farmer's market, use organic beauty products. But I haven't challenged myself to find new ways to reduce my impact on the planet, or lower my carbon footprint.

Instead of getting down about this, I decided it really means that we all have room to grow when it comes to our relationship with the environment, the earth and world around us. The important thing is to stay aware of how things are changing, and keep pushing yourself to change, too.

(PS - that veal reference was a joke! I would never eat veal! Do they even make it in the U.S. anymore?)